The Rockford RiverHawks will have a new place in professional baseball next year when they switch from the Frontier League to the Northern League.

The RiverHawks have been members of the independent Frontier League since 2002. The Northern League also is independent and has no affiliations with any Major League Baseball clubs.

Unlike the Frontier League, which is a developmental league for players age 26 and younger, the Northern League has no age restrictions. The Northern League also has a higher salary cap ($105,000) than the Frontier League ($72,000).

“It’s a big step for us on the field, player-wise and talentwise, and also just with the exposure the Big Northern League has,” said Josh Olerud, the general manager and vice president of sales for the RiverHawks.

“We’re paying more for guys, but we’re also getting better players.”

There are six other teams in the Northern League — the closest being the Schaumburg Flyers, the Joliet Jackhammers and the Gary SouthShore RailCats. The Kansas City T-Bones, the Winnepeg Goldeyes and the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks make up the rest.

One new team also will join the Northern League next year, the Lake County Fielders out of Zion. The franchise is owned by actor Kevin Costner.

Olerud said the Northern League also is planning to expand for the 2011 season.

Rockford’s franchise still will be called the RiverHawks, and they will continue to play their home games at Road Ranger Stadium. Olerud said most internal operations will not change, but he has a big job ahead of him during the offseason.

“We’re going to have to do a whole restructuring of the team during the offseason,” Olerud said.

“When the guys leave here, most of them go to A or AA. Most of the guys (in the Northern League) are straight to AAA or the Major Leagues. So our fans are going to be very surprised by how different the talent is.”

Olerud also said they are already talking to former RiverHawk standouts who were let go because they were older than 26, including former league MVP Rich Austin.

“There’s a good chance we can get some of the fan favorites back,” Olerud said.

The Northern League began as an independent league in 1902 and averages more than 4,500 in per-game attendance. Rockford is sixth in the Frontier League in attendance average with 2,729.

Rockford, currently 29-28 and four games back in the Frontier League’s West Division, hosted the Frontier League All-Star Game two weeks ago.

The Frontier League “understands economically where we are coming from and where we want to go,” Olerud said. “Obviously, with how we’ve been growing, it’s a step back for them. But it sounds like there are new teams interested in that league as well, so it won’t hurt them too much.”

Page 2 of 2 - Staff reporter Emily Tropp can be reached at 815-987-1385 or etropp@rrstar.com.